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Sauteed Cheddar Chickpeas & Zucchini

15 minutes to hearty vegetarian side dish greatness… when you indulge in today’s super-easy Sauteed Cheddar Chickpeas & Zucchini recipe!

Easy, flavorful side dishes come to your weeknight dinner rescue, and Sauteed Cheddar Chickpeas & Zucchini fit that bill nicely. Simple ingredients, hearty goodness, and super quick — what more could you ask for, really? Try this one when fresh summer zucchini are in season, as a quick way to use up some of your garden harvest this year.

I just threw this zucchini chickpea side dish together today with some ingredients I had on hand, as I’m trying to clear out some older canned goods and had one sad little zucchini left over from an earlier recipe. It turned out so very well (and so very easy), though, that this one is definitely going in my regular side dish rotation.

Since it’s so nicely filling, cheddar chickpeas & zucchini would also work well as a vegetarian lunch idea — or, just snack away on it while you’re typing, like I’m doing right now!

Sauteed Cheddar Chickpeas & Zucchini

cheddar zucchini & chickpeas ingredients

Ingredients

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp butter
1 medium zucchini (about 10 oz), thinly sliced
1/4 of a medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed & drained
1.5 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
Sea salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar

Directions

sliced zucchini and onion on a cutting board

Cut off & discard the ends of the zucchini, then slice it thinly. Thinly slice the onion, and mince the garlic if you’re not using pre-minced.

Heat the oil and butter together in a 12″ cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until butter is melted, then swirl to coat the pan.

sauteed zucchini and onion in a cast iron skillet

Add the zucchini and onion. Brown veggies over medium-high heat for five minutes, stirring occasionally.

While the veggies are browning, drain and rinse the chickpeas.

chickpeas garlic and seasonings in the pan

Stir the chickpeas, garlic, and seasonings into the pan.

softened zucchini and chickpeas in the pan

Continue to cook over medium-high heat for five more minutes, or until zucchini is nicely softened, stirring occasionally.

cheesy zucchini and chickpeas in the skillet

Stir in the cheese until just melted. Serve hot and enjoy!

Note: The cayenne adds a welcome little kick to this recipe, but if you are sensitive to heat you can omit or cut down.

15 minutes to hearty side dish deliciousness

sauteed cheddar chickpeas and zucchini on a blue and white plate

So much to savor from the warm spices & garlic here! Enjoy today’s cheesy chickpeas & zucchini dish either as a hearty side dish for four, or as a vegetarian lunch for two. The soft, browned zucchini plays well against the nutty chewiness of the chickpeas, while the cheese bumps up the overall flavor and ties everything together.

This flavorful, hearty side dish would work well along with so many mains — from a simple roast chicken to a veggie panini. Or, try throwing it on top of cooked rice along with other veggies of choice to create a full meal.

More zucchini recipes

Almost never does one have but a single zucchini, right? Especially in summer, when in gardens they do grow. Here are a few more zucchini recipes to help you make the most of some of that summer veggie bounty.

Such a versatile vegetable; delicious in so many different ways!

Sauteed Cheddar Chickpeas & Zucchini, printable recipe

Sauteed Cheddar Chickpeas & Zucchini

15 minutes to hearty vegetarian side dish greatness… when you indulge in today’s super-easy Sauteed Cheddar Chickpeas & Zucchini recipe!
Course Side Dish
Cuisine vegetarian
Keyword chickpeas, easy recipe, side dish, vegetarian, zucchini
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings 4

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1 medium zucchini (about 10 oz), thinly sliced
  • 1/4 of a medium yellow onion thinly sliced
  • 1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed & drained
  • 1.5 tsp minced garlic
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne
  • Sea salt to taste
  • Black pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar

Instructions

  • Cut off & discard the ends of the zucchini, then slice it thinly. Thinly slice the onion, and mince the garlic if you’re not using pre-minced.
  • Heat the oil and butter together in a 12″ cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until butter is melted, then swirl to coat the pan.
  • Add the zucchini and onion. Brown veggies over medium-high heat for five minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • While the veggies are browning, drain and rinse the chickpeas.
  • Stir the chickpeas, garlic, and seasonings into the pan.
  • Continue to cook over medium-high heat for five more minutes, or until zucchini is nicely softened, stirring occasionally.
  • Stir in the cheese until just melted. Serve hot and enjoy!

Notes

The cayenne adds a welcome little kick to this recipe, but if you are sensitive to heat you can omit or cut down.

Recipes in the real world

weekly ALDI meal plans from Mashup Mom -- six complete dinners for four, $60 out the door! MashupMom.com, every Wednesday.

Be sure not to miss the free ALDI meal plans, which show you how to use these easy family recipes to meal plan affordably and realistically for your family. Or, find more recipe ideas with the Recipe Search!

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